[Friends_of_SSASTROS] We're Six Weeks In...

[Mike McCabe]

...and at least until this point I don't think anyone would describe this as having been a stellar year for amateur astronomical observing. Oh sure we had the Luna/Mars occultation back in mid-January, which was a pretty splendid event, but beyond that we've had mostly bitter cold, gale force winds, clouds, rain, snow, and ice - pretty much all non-inspirational when it comes to getting out there.
But fear not, better times are surely coming! And to prepare us for them I've put together a little guide of special events happening throughout the rest of this year. I'm sure the list isn't exhaustive, so please feel free to chime in with additions that you're aware of, because inquiring astro-minds would really love to know!
For those of you on Facebook, you may have seen this graphic floating around your feed:
It's pretty good, but a little more detail would go a long way in helping us understand exactly when to look for these events and what to expect if we do get to see them.
Towards that end, I've taken and personalized it for our area and taken the liberty of declaring it a club mission to get out there and experience everything that our conditions will allow us to see:
You'll note that the September 7th event has an "X" through it...that's because we've only paid enough eclipse taxes for two events this year, and we're using up our allotment in the month of March. This image file is also attached to this email. Print it, hang it on your fridge/bulletin board/mirror...somewhere where it'll as serve as a reminder to get up, get out, go somewhere, and see stuff.
The first event of the year (added to the graphic by yours truly) - the Luna/Mars occultation - is over! It was great, some of us gathered at Steve LaFlamme's for it, and so far it's been the only group observing session for us this year:
That path-line that goes behind the Moon makes it look like Mars was moving from lower left to upper right, when in reality it was the Moon moving down and to the left that created that illusion. Did you know that the Moon moves eastward on average about 12° per day? That equates to .5°, or about one moon-width per hour. 
Next up on our list of neat-o things happening in the sky is a total lunar eclipse on the morning of Friday, the 14th of March:
Total lunar eclipses are a spectacle to behold. Unfortunately lunar eclipses only happen in the night, and oftentimes when it's cold, and sometimes during the ungodly wee-hours of the morning. The center of totality for this upcoming event happens at three in the morning (look up "ungodly wee-hours of the morning" and 3am will be at the top of the list), and I'll just go out on a limb here and say that it's going to be cold. I haven't decided yet how much effort I'll be putting into this event, but just know that if you want to see totality, along with all the ingress and egress partial phases, you'll be out there from 1am to 5am. This could very well be one of those "I got up to go to the bathroom, looked out the window, and saw a total lunar eclipse" event for many of us. :-) 
Following hot on the heels of the total lunar eclipse is a sunrise partial solar eclipse on the morning of Saturday, the 29th of March:
While the timeframe for the lunar eclipse may not be exceptionally conducive to a serious group session, I think if the forecast is favorable we should consider one for the partial solar eclipse. The seawall at the Scituate lighthouse would be a perfect location for viewing this spectacle. The event only lasts thirty minutes for us - from sunrise to seven o'clock - and I haven't looked yet but there must be a breakfast restaurant somewhere in Scituate that would be happy to host a group of crusty astronomers for some java and toast. Of course you guys would have to learn how to behave between now and then. I have faith in ya!
Next up on our list of Must-See's is a challenging little conjunction between the Moon and Mercury in the late-June twilight sky:
Mercury likes to play hide-n-seek with us, and on the evening of June 26th it will give us a clue in the form of the young crescent moon to help us find it. Actually, both of these will likely be very challenging. The twilight sky is often hazy, and the tiny sliver of a 3% crescent moon down that low isn't likely to poke you in the eye and say "here I am!" Binoculars will be the tool of choice here, and the wider the true field the better as the two celestial objects will be fully 5° separated on this date.
Flipping back to the early morning script, get up and out by 5am on August 12th to catch a sweet Jupiter/Venus conjunction in the eastern sky:
Bright planetary conjunctions are always a thrill to see, and the two brightest planets in the sky will be showing off their dance moves on the days surrounding August 12th. Get out there on the 12th to see them at their closest, and on the days before and after to see them doing the swing. This is a naked-eye spectacle that depending on the observer, could be enhanced with a pair of binoculars or a telescope.
Remember that event on the original list that I put an "X" through?
The dark shaded section denotes the areas that failed to pay enough eclipse taxes to be able to see this event. If someone wants to try filing an abatement with the IAU Tax Collection Department, then maybe they could change this. In the meantime, no eclipse for you! 
Sticking to the morning theme, 5am is again the calling hour to witness a thin waning crescent moon hovering near Venus and the bright star Regulus in the constellation Leo:
Thin crescent moons are always fun, especially when coupled with bright planets and stars. Naked eye this will be cool, in binos it will be great, and if you point a telescope at low power here you're in for a big ol' cup of awesome sauce!
Closing in on the end of the year, we get to enjoy the spectacle of seeing Saturn sporting the tiniest sliver of rings:
While the actual hemisphere-transition rings edge-on event for planet Earth happens this March, we can't see it because Saturn will be in conjunction with the Sun. The four weeks from November 7/8 to December 7/8 will offer us ample opportunity to witness the phenomena nearly as good as it gets. This is a really can't miss spectacle, and if I can help it I will personally see to it that every club member that wants to see it gets to. We will be hosting observing sessions specifically for this spectacle!
Finally, who doesn't love a good meteor shower? The Geminids are somewhat reliable as meteor showers go, and this year the Moon stays mostly out of the way for the nights that they're in town. I fully expect that we'll be hearing from Braintree High School again this year, whose inaugural "Blackout Braintree" event featured several Geminid sightings from the school's football field. Stay on the lookout anytime that you're outside at night on the days surrounding the peak dates, because this is one of those showers that typically keeps 'em coming for much more than just one night.

So there you have it. A bunch of reasons to Keep Looking Up, in spite of the nonsense that this winter has thrust upon us so far. This too, shall pass, and the sooner the better is what I say!
Sincerely,
Mike M.
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